Sit-up bathtub and shower

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a bath structure which may be about waist high to an adult. The enclosure has a hinged door in one side and the door has an inflatable seal around its outer periphery. A flexible sheet of material is attached to the door jamb and overlies the edges of the door to form a supplemental seal. The door has a manually actuatable sliding bolt which engages the door jamb and holds the door closed. A hand pump is connected to the inflatable seal. The hand pump has a cylinder built into the door and a handle extends from the pump which is connected to a piston in the pump cylinder.

United States Patent 191 Brendgord et al.

[ SIT-UP BATHTUB AND SHOWER [75] Inventors: Thomas Brendgord; Robert D.

Copeland, both of Erie, Pa.

[73] Assignee: American Sterilizer Company, Erie,

[22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 414,380

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 234,701, March 15, 1972,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,371,354 3/1968 I-layslett 4/173 3,423,769 l/l969 Cowley 4/173 Feb. 4, 1975 3,662,409 5/1972 Johansson 4/148 3,663,971 5/1972 Bonhote 4/l73 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 420,894 0/1935 Great Britain 49/477 Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Stuart S. Levy [57] ABSTRACT The specification discloses a bath structure which may be about waist high to an adult. The enclosure has a hinged door in one side and the door has an inflatable seal around its outer periphery. A flexible sheet of material is attached to the door jamb and overlies the edges of the door to form a supplemental seal. The door has a manually actuatable sliding bolt which engages the door jamb and holds the door closed. A hand pump is connected to the inflatable seal. The hand pump has a cylinder built into the door and a handle extends from the pump which is connected to a piston in the pump cylinder.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEU FEB l975 sum 1. or 5 PATENTED EB 4% PATENTEBFEB 41915 3.863.275

SHEET 3 UF 5 Flak v PATENTED 75 SHEEI 5 OF 5 FIG. I!

SIT-UP BATI-ITUB AND SHOWER This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 234,701, filed Mar. I5, 1972, now abandoned.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bath structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved door and seal structure in a bath apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bath structure that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART The bath structure disclosed herein constitutes an improvement over US. Pat. No. 3,423,769.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the bath structure according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bath structure according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the bath structure.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the door shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the door shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the inflatable seal.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view partly in cross section of a hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the bath apparatus is generally indicated at 10 and it includes the enclosure 11 having ends l2, l3 and a front 14, the rear wall 15, and the bottom 16, all integrally connected together and molded from a material such as Fiberglas, for example. The enclosure may be approximately waist high and the seat 17 is molded into the enclosure at approximately mid-height so that an invalid can comfortably sit on the seat while taking a bath. A door 18 is supported in the door opening by hinges 36 and 37 which have one part 35 supported on the wall 14 to the left of the door and the other part 38 supported on the door and pivotally connected together at 39. The bathtub has a seat 26 inside it on which a patient may rest.

The structure has a drain 19 of a conventional type that may be closed by means of a drain cover stopper 20. The drain l9 admits water to the drain fitting 27 to which the hose 30 of the shower is attached (shown in dotted lines). The water control handle 21 is provided in a convenient position, near a corner of the structure so that it is easily accessible to a patient sitting on the seat 17. A drain cover chain 22 is attached to the top of the tub at 23. The entire structure is supported on height adjustable supports 24 and hold downs 25. A valve 26 is attached to the handle 21 and it may be used to connect water from pipes 32 connected to an outside water source at cover 31. A shower connection 29 or the lower part of the tee 28 may be used to connect to admit water to the tub.

A pump cylinder 47 is built into the door 18 and the pump handle 48 is connected to a piston through which air may be pumped through the hose 60 into the inflatable seal 50. The door opening is bounded by a flat jamb plate 56. The seal and jamb could obviously be reversed and the pump and seal attached to the tub to engage the edge of the door. A fluid passage 51 is provided inside the inflatable seal and the flanges 52 extend outward and may hold the inflatable seal in the groove 54 in the door. A flat seal 55, which may be made of a flexible material, is supported under the plate 56 and the flat seal overlies the edge 57 of the door and is held in sealing engagement with the door by water pressure from the inside of the structure.

A sliding bolt 46 is supported on the door and is attached to the slide 42. The end of bolt 46 is received in a keeper member 49 on the door jamb to hold the door 18 firmly in position and against inadvertent opening irrespective of the frictional engagement at surface 53 of the inflatable seal 50.

A bleed valve 58 is connected through hose 59 to the hose 60 which is in turn connected to the inflatable seal to relieve the air pressure in the seal when the water has been drained out of the tub.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A bath structure comprising a door and a tub having a bottom, four side walls, a door opening in one of said side walls,

said door hinged to one said wall and swingable to close said door opening,

and a latch means on said door for fastening the said door in closed position in said opening,

a flat platelike jamb member extending around the sides and bottom of said door opening,

and an inflatable seal fixed to said door and extending around said door,

pump means,

said pump means having a cylinder connected to said seal,

said inflatable seal terminating on said door at a position below said latch means whereby said latch means can engage said tub above said inflatable seal,

said pump means being built into said door and having a handle extending upward from said door for inflating said seal to bring said seal into sealing engagement with said platelike jamb member.

inflatable seal whereby air can be released from said seal.

5. The structure recited in claim 4 wherein said tub has a drain and closure means for said drain,

and means to actuate said bleed valve is disposed on said door. 

1. A bath structure comprising a door and a tub having a bottom, four side walls, a door opening in one of said side walls, said door hinged to one said wall and swingable to close said door opening, and a latch means on said door for fastening the said door in closed position in said opening, a flat platelike jamb member extending around the sides and bottom of said door opening, and an inflatable seal fixed to said door and extending around said door, pump means, said pump means having a cylinder connected to said seal, said inflatable seal terminating on said door at a position below said latch means whereby said latch means can engage said tub above said inflatable seal, said pump means being built into said door and having a handle extending upward from said door for inflating said seal to bring said seal into sealing engagement with said platelike jamb member.
 2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said latch comprises a sliding bolt on said door, and said latch means comprises a notch in said door jamb to receive said bolt.
 3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein means is provided on said door to deflate said seal.
 4. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein a bleed valve is supported on said door and connected to said inflatable seal whereby air can be released from said seal.
 5. The structure recited in claim 4 wherein said tub has a drain and closure means for said drain, and means to actuate said bleed valve is disposed on said door. 